The Mine is one of the most popular sport crags in the Cape Peninsula. The rock is a hard sandstone with most routes involving at least one or two overhangs. Holds are generally small and you will need some good finger strength here. The view from the crag is wonderful and there is plenty of space to roam around at the bottom of the crag. The crag generally dries out quickly after rain (in one or two days). If it is not too hot, all day climbing is not a problem here. Be sure to make a knot in the end of your rope as some of the routes are more than 25m long.

Contents

Getting There

To get to the Mine, drive up Ou Kaapse Weg from the Cape Town side and take the first turnoff to the left (after a few hundered metres). Park at the next turnoff to the right and walk up to the badly eroded dirt rode (15 minutes) and then take the path to the left which leads to the crag.

Be careful when parking there though, recently cars parked there have been broken in to. If you have a 4x4-type vehicle it might be better to drive farther up that dirt road. Alternatively it has been suggested that you park at the entrance of the naval base and endure the longer walk (about 500m). See Climb ZA Thread

Routes

Routes are listed from left to right.

Far Left Sector

There are a couple of routes several hundred metres to the left of the main crag:

Kool Sans the Gang 23 Guy Hollwill 1997Kool and the Gang was an artificial route with two plastic holds bolted into the roof. Public outcry led to the holds being removed. Brown spraypaint can still be seen in the roof where the plastic holds were. Kool Sans the Gang ends at the base of this roof.

Yebo 15 Scott Miller and Naureen Goheer 2003

Paff Udder 25 Prof Steve Bradshaw 2004Extension to Yebo. Goes right of Kool Sans the Gang but uses the same anchors.

Saddam's Bad Hair Day 21 Scott Miller and Naureen Goheer 2003

Revenge of the Paas Haasie 20 Scott Miller and Naureen Goheer 2003

Right Sector

Too Pumped to Come 26 Sean Maasch 1994

All that Glitters is Gold 27 Guy Hollwill 1991Start up Swan Lake then keep going straight up to the top of the wall. Less popular than Swan Lake, which heads right near the top.

Swan Lake 25 Jeremy Colenso 1991Finishes at the Gift of Wings chains.

A Gift of Wings 28 Guy Hollwill 1991A classic!

Mono 28 Adrian Kohler 1993Start up Gift of Wings then go rightwards through the big cavity in the roof.